Furnace-roof construction



o cus, 1929. M. R. LOR NO 1,730,667

FURNACE ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 21, 1928 Attorneys Inventof m MMMM Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES ame-7 MIKE ROSS LORINO, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA FURNACE-ROOF CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 21, 1928. Serial No. 307,484.

My invention relates to furnace roof construction, particularly to a roof for open hearth and reheating furnaces, and comprised of refractory blocks, and has for its object the provision of a roof of the character designated which shall be characterized by the following important features;

(a) The individual refractory blocks embodied in the roof may be readily replaced 1 without disturbing other blocks.

(b) Each block is provided with an individual support which is simple of design and construction and which permits free movement of the block as the roof is subjected to differences of temperature.

(a) A block construction providing longer life for the individual blocks than is found in ordinary practice.

(d) A construction such that it is possible to replace the side wall of the furnace without the necessity of bracing the roof from the inside and without waiting for the furnace to cool off.

The problem of providing a satisfactory roof for open hearth and reheating furnaces has long been recognized as exceedingly dithcult and various and sundry expedients have been heretofore proposed for meeting these difficulties. Vhile some of the means proposed have been more or less satisfactory in operation, the carrying out of the means has been expensive and diflicult. It is accordingly a prime object of my invention to provide a roof construction which is simple of de sign and easy of manufacture and assembly, and at the same time one which is capable of a long life under extreme operating conditions.

Briefly, my invention comprises a series of spaced pairs of beams spanning the furnace and suitably supported from the side walls thereof. Each pair of beams supports a series of short strips from which depend eye bolts extending between the beams comprise5, ing each pair, and flexibly secured to each of the eye bolts in an individual roof block;

The roof blocks are generally rectangular in form and each has a rib molded on its upper side, with holes formed in the rib. Attached to the rib by means of bolts passing through the holes are U-links which are threaded through the eye bolts, thus affording flexible swinging support for each block whereby it is free to move in practically all directions due to the expansion and contraction of the roof assembly when subjected to changes in temperature.

Apparatus embodying. features of my invent-ion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of my improved furnace construction Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line H IT of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in side elevation of a single roofing block embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5is a plan view of the same.

Referring now to" the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I show furnace side walls 10 and 11 upon which rest supporting beams 12 and 13. Resting upon the beams 12 and 13 and spanning the furnace are a series of pairs of I-beams 14. Arranged at intervals along each pair of I- bcams are straps 16 from which depend eye bolts 17, suitable holes being provided in the strap 16 for the bolts 17 and nuts 18 being provided on the eye bolts for adjustably holding them in place.

Supported from each of the eye bolts 17 is one of my improved refractory roofing blocks 21, which blocks, as may be seen from F igs. l and 2, arearrange'd in side by side and inend to end relation to provide the heat resisting portion of the roof. The roofing blocks 21 are generally rectangular in cross section but, as is well understood in the art, are made to conform to the general character of the roof of which they form a part. Molded integrally on the back of each of the blocks is an elongated rib 22 having parallel sidesand which extends nearly-from end to end of the blocks. The rib 22 is'made wide enough to provide suflicient stock to form an adequate support for the block.

The rib 22'is provided with spaced holes 23 and 24 near the ends thereof and extending through the holes 23 and 24 are bolts 26 and 27 which serve to attach U-links 28 and 29 to the block and which are threaded through the ring 31 of the eye bolt 17. With the form of flexible support just described, it will be apparent that my improved blocks, as the roof is subjected to changes in temperature, may swing on their supports in any direction of movement brought about by the expansion or contraction of the roof structure and without causing any strain on the blocks by rea son of such movement. This feature is very important for the reason that a slight strain, due to binding of the block supports as the blocks start to move in any direction, has heretofore been a frequent cause of breakage and failure of roof blocks.

Should it become necessary, with my improved roofing construction, to remove and replace an individual block, it may be readily done by loosening its supporting eye bolt and then knocking the old block or part thereof down into the furnace, or by pulling it up out of the roof and by suspending a new block in its place, all without interfering with the other blocks in the roof. Should it become necessary to repair or replace one of the walls of the furnace such as 10 or 11, it is only neces sary to provide supports for the associated beam 12 or 13 whereupon the wall may be built up to the beam as shown in Fig. 1.

From the fore oing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved furnace roof construction which is simple of design, easy of assembly and sturdy of construction.

l/Vhile I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior artor as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. r In a furnace roof construction, a refractory roof block of a generally rectangular shape having molded on its upper side a rib extending substantially from end to end of the block and provided with spaced holes near the ends thereof, U-links pivotally supported from the spaced holes, and a supporting eye bolt connected to the Ll-links.

2. In a furnace roof construction, arefractory roof block of a generally rectangular shape having molded on its upper side a rib extending substantially from end to end of the block and provided with spaced holes near the ends thereof, U-links pivotally supported from the spaced holes, a supporting eye bolt connected to the U-links, a pair of supporting beams spanning the furnace, and a strap carried by the supporting beams and to which the eye bolt is connected,

3. A furnace roof comprising spaced pairs of I-beams extending transversely of the furnace, a plurality of straps extending across each pair of I-beams, an eye bolt suspended from each strap and extending downwardly between the pair of I-beams, a pair of links connected to each eye bolt, a roofing block for each eye bolt and having molded integrally therewith an elongated rib on the upper side thereof and having a pair of holes there through, one near each end thereof, and bolts in the holes for pivotally connecting the links to the rib.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MIKE ROSS LORINO. 

